Power transmission mechanism for swinging crane excavators or the like



Aug. 23, 1938. S G, E, MIL ER 2,128,010

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR SWINGING CRANE EXCAVATORS OR THE LIKE vFiled Aug. 7, 193'7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /3' j 111 44 37 11,; d n I 7 66 2 vIE. 1. S

v Georgi? E. MM/er V 6.1:.- MILLER Aug. 23, 1938.

POWER TRANSMISSION IECHANISI FOR SW-INGING (ERANE EXCAVA'I'ORS OR THELIKE Filed Aug. 7, 1937 Shoots-Sheet 2 Clttornegs Patented Aug. 23, 1938i I V UNITED STATES. PATENT oFFlca P OWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FORSWINGING CRANE EXCAVATORS OR THE LIKE George E. Miller, Findlay, Ohio,assignor to The Buckeye Traction Ditcher Company, Findlay, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application August '1, 1937, Serial No. 151,939

2 Claims- (01'. 214-435) This invention relates to power transmissionthe other will cause the pinion l5 to travel around mechanism of thetype adapted for selectively the rack and impart rotation in onedirection or operating a plurality of devices, and is primarily theother to the platform. Each clutch ii, iii, intended 'for use inconnection with swinging includes a combined clutch and brake drum memicrane excavators, wherein power is taken from 2. her IS in fixedengagement with the respective 5 common source to perform variousoperations. gear ii, iii, and within the drum includes a The primaryobject of the invention is the prosuitable clutch mechanism which, inthe presvision of a mechanism of this character having ent instance, isactuated to have clutch engagea novel and compact arrangement of parts,ment with the drum when the diaphragm in a whereby the variousoperations of the associated respective chamber M is actuated by vacuumlo machine may be accomplished in an efficient action within thecylinder to move an associated manner. push rod 22 inward to apply theclutch. The

I The invention is fully described in the followinvention is notrestricted to the use of any paring specification, and one embodimentthereof ticular form of clutch operating means therefor which scribed.One only of the drum members. it is Figure l is a plan more or less indiagram of acted on by a brake 23 normally actuated to enthe mechanismembodying the invention, with gage the drum by vacuum action in, a brakecylparts broken away; Fig. 2 is an end elevation inder 2 B.

50 thereof more or less in diagram-{arid with parts The drum shaft 3 isdriven from the swing broken away, and Fig. 3 is ajayou't view of theshaft 2 by a pair of meshing gears 25 and 26 mechanism, with partsspread out'to dispose the fixed thereto, and, in the present instance,carries various shafts in a common plane and with parts two cablewinding drums 21 and 28 adapted to in o have driven connection with theshaft 3 through 55 Referring to the drawings, I designates a swingrespective clutches 29 and 30, the combined brake 25 platform such asthe platform of a cab of a and clutch drum of which is connected to theswinging crane excavator and on which the power shaft through a suitableclutch means controlled mechanism embodying the invention is mounted. byvacuum action the same as in the case of This mechanism includes a-swingshaft 2 which the clutches of the shaft 2. If the machine is 30 isgeared to impart swinging movements to the of the convertible type foruse either in connec- 30 platform relative to the tractor means on whichtion with a dipper or clam shell type bucket, the mounted; a drum shaft3 on which one or more two drums 2i and 28 are employed, the drumseparately controlled drums may be mounted and 21, in the presentinstance, carrying the hoist a crowd and propel shaft 4. These shaftsare cable adapted for connection to the dipper, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in and need not, therefore,be-more specifically delit-S disposed in spaced parallel relation andare jourtheother drum, commonly referred to as the 5 naled in suitablebearings provided in a frame 5 clam drum, carrying the cable forsupporting the mounted on the platform. Power for driving clam shellbucket.

these shafts is obtained from a motor or other The crowd and propelshaft] is driven at one suitable power source (not shown) which is speedfrom the drum shaft gear 26 through a pinmounted on the platform, aswell understood in. ion 35 and clutch 36 disposed at one end of the 40the art, and has driving connection with the shaft, and at another speedfrom the swing shaft swing shaft 2 in any suitable manner as through 2through gears3'l and 38 and a clutch 39 at the a a chain engaging asprocket ill on an end of opposite end of the shaft, the gear 31 beingfixed 11 Shaftto the shaft 2. Each pinion 35 and 38 is loose on 7, Theswing shaft 2, which is the primary shaft the shaft together with thedrum member of the 5 of the set, carries two loose bevel gears II andI2, respective clutch, and is connected to the shaft which are inseparate clutch controlled connecby an engagement of the clutch, whichlatter may tion with the shaft and are in mesh with a' driven beeffected in the same manner as in the case of bevel pinion It on avertical countershaft l4 the other clutches.

(Fig. 3), which extends down through a hearing The shovel crowd element40, in the present 50 in the platform I and carries at its lower end ainstance a sprocket wheel, is loose on the shaft d pinion iii in meshwith an annular rack it. The and clutch H is feathered to the shaft forshiftrack iii, as well understood in the art, is coningmovements intoand out of engagement with centric to the swinging pivot of theplatform, and the sprocket, as well understood in the art. A

a driving of the shaft M from one drive gear or shovel crowd brakeisconnected to the sprocket 55 stick and shovel. The crowd element 40may be" slowly driven for crowding action by engagement of the slowspeed clutch 39with the shaft 4, or it may be rapidly driven in reversedirection to eflect a rapid retraction of the shovel byan engagement ofthe high speed clutch 36 with the shaft 4.

Two opposed bevel pinions 50 and 5| are loosely mounted on the shaft 4and adapted to be alternately engaged therewith by a clutch collar 52feathered on the shaft therebetween and shiftable into clutch engagementwith either. Power is taken off from these plnions to a suitablepropelling means for the machine through a common bevel pinion 53 andconnected means. Power for ho sting the associated machine boom may betaken from a pinion 55 on shaft 4.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, and GI designate the diaphragmchambers, through the medium of which clutches 29 and 30, respectively,are actuated, and 62 and 63 designate like chambers, respectively, forthe clutches 39 and 39 on the propel shaft 4. Each clutch drum 29, 30,is engaged by a respective brake band 65, which has connection with andis actuated by the presence of vacuum action in an associated brakecylinder 86, as well understood in the art. 7

It is apparent from the foregoing that power is imparted primarily tothe swing shaft 2 from any suitable source, and from it through thegears 25, 26, to the drum shaft 3 and to the crowd and propel shaft 4 atone speed through the train of gears 25, 26 and 35, and an associatedclutch 36, while the shaft 4 is driven at another speed from the shaft 2through the gears 31 and 38 and associated clutch 39. A swing movementis imparted in one direction or the other to the associated platform orcrane cab from the shaft 2 by releasing .the brake 23 and engaging oneor the other of the clutches l9, which eifects a driving of the verticalrack pinion shaft l4 through one or the other of the bevel gears ll, l2.Either clutch 29, 30, on the drum shaft 3 may be released to permit apaying out of the shovel or clam shell bucket under the weight of itsload, and either drum may be operated to effect a hoisting of theassociated shovel or bucket by an engagement of the associated clutch 29or 30. Two different speeds for either propelling or hoisting work orboth may be imparted to the shaft 4 by engagement of either clutch 36,39, and a shovel crowding action may be eifected by an engagement of theelement 43 with the shaft, while a propelling action in one direction orthe other is effected by an engagement of the clutch 52 with either ofthe companion bevel pinions" 50, 5 l.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specificconstruction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ofnumerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit oftheclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States LettersPatent, is:

' 1. In a power transmission mechanism for swinging crane excavatorsor'the like, a swingable mount, a swing shaft, a drum shaft, and a.crowd and propel shaft supported in spaced parallel relation on saidmount, clutch controlled power transmission means directly connectingone of the adjacent ends of each of the swing shaft and the crowd andpropel shaft together for driving the latter ata predetermined low speedfrom said swing shaft, power transmission means carried by one end ofthe drum shaft having direct operative engagement with the adjacentopposite end of the swing shaft and clutch controlled connection withthe adjacent opposite end of the crowd and propel shaft whereby the drumshaft is directly and constantly driven from the swing shaft, and thecrowd and propel shaft is indirectly driven by the swing shaft throughthe drum shaft, and power means directly connected to the swing shaft.

2. In a power transmission mechanism for swinging crane excavators orthe like, a swingable mount, a swing shaft, a drum shaft, and a crowdand propel shaft supported in spaced parallel relation on said mount, ahoist drum loose on said drum shaft and having clutch controlledconnection therewith, power transmission means directly connecting theswing shaft and drum shaft for constantly actuating the latter, a clutchcontrolled means carried by the crowd and propel shaft in operativeengagement with said power transmission means a second powertransmission means controllably connecting the swing shaft, and thecrowd and propel shaft independently of the first-named powertransmission means, and power means connected to'the swing shaft.

GEORGE E. MILLER.

